Fitness

image by Brianna Long

Fitness 1.       The state of being fit 2.       Biology a.       The degree of adaptation of an organism to its environment…. When you think of fitness does it bring up memories of PE class, or playing in a sport, maybe working out at the gym? Some form of physical exercise is what often comes to mind when thinking of fitness. We worry about fitness because we want to be healthy. However, the definition above from dictionary.com can be used in a broader sense. The state of being fit is important not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I believe that to be truly fit, one must be healthy in mind, body and soul and will focus on that in this blog. The mind affects the body which affects the mind in a continuous spiral. For example have you  felt sad or had difficulty concentrating, been irritable or easily frustrated, felt hopeless or loss of interest in things you like? If you or someone you know were experiencing those symptoms you would probably suspect depression. But what if you were having headaches, muscle or joint aches, back or chest pains, digestive problems, fatigue? Did you know these were also symptoms of depression? "Because these symptoms occur with many conditions, many depressed people never get help, because they don't know that their physical symptoms might be caused by depression. A lot of doctors miss the symptoms, too." (webmd.com) So an individual might go to a doctor to address the physical symptoms but either because of lack of knowledge about depression or stigma associated with mental health issues, the mental component is neglected. The person's physical symptoms may resolve for a time because of the medical treatment, but either the symptoms return, or new physical symptoms develop. The point is, the problem is still there. If that's not enough, don't forget that it's quite common for people to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs, shopping, food, or gambling. Any of these can and will exacerbate a physical problem or create havoc in relationships or contribute to financial problems - all of which will only worsen the mental health issue (or create a new one). And let's not forget the affects it has on sleep and nutrition, both of which play a role in how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. Finally, as a christian, I cannot help but think of St. Augustine of Hippo who said: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”  Sadly, so many people use things, peoples, substances as a way to fill that void in all our hearts that only God can fill. We tell ourselves so many "if onlys." If only I was: thin enough, smart enough, successful enough, rich enough, owned this house or that car....and the list goes on and on. Even if we achieve what we are think we need to be happy, we discover we are still not happy, we are still unfulfilled. As a licensed mental health counselor, it is my mission-my passion to help individuals be fully integrated, healthy and whole -mind, body and soul. It is not enough to deal with the physical symptoms, the emotional/mental struggle or the spiritual void. If you address one without addressing the problem you are only putting a band aid on the problem but it is still there. That is what this blog will address. Health issues from the perspective of the mind, body and soul! I welcome your stories of struggles and success! Peace, Candice Chaloupka, MA, LMHC